Oakland teen perseveres, wins scholarship

A recent high school graduate was honored with a college scholarship in Oakland. He is a good student who caught a bad break, but he didn't let it keep him down.

Gerald Williams, 18, recently graduated from Castlemont High School in oakland. Thursday, he was given a scholarship from the Fam 1st Family Foundation, led by Oakland cousins Marshawn Lynch, a running back for the Seattle Seahawks, and Josh Johnson, a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers.

The reward is for persevering.

"Being able to go through trials and tribulations of living in Oakland, being a young, black male, and just being able to stay on top of my game, finish high school, finish with a cumulative GPA of 3.5," Williams said.

Williams stayed on his game even after being shot last year in downtown Oakland at 14th and Broadway. He still has a scar on his arm.

His dad was the first to get to the hospital and couldn't be prouder that his son is now off to San Diego State University.

"In the hospital he was like, 'You told me this type of stuff could happen and I'm really fit to focus on school," Gerald Williams Sr. said.